Tony Kurdzuk/The Star-LedgerRed Bulls forward Dane Richards tries to keep the ball away from New England's Chris Tierney as they head into the corner during the second half Thursday night's game, which the Red Bulls won, 2-0.

At the conclusion of their final game in Giants Stadium last season, the Red Bulls circled the field and thanked the fans for supporting a team that finished in last place in the Eastern Conference with a 5-19-6 record and an embarrassing 21 points.

Thursday night, the Red Bulls made a similar lap following their season finale against the New England Revolution. Only this time there’s a lot more to play for.

Buoyed by a goal by Dane Richards in the first half, the Red Bulls clinched the Eastern Conference for just the second time in their history as they defeated the Revolution, 2-0, before 15,866 at Red Bull Arena.

The victory capped an improbable worst-to-first season for the Red Bulls, who went undefeated in the preseason and carried that momentum right to the end.

“Last year we were thanking the fans and we were going to go home,” Richards said. “Now we’re thanking the fans to come and support us in the playoffs, and that’s a great feeling.”

The Red Bulls (15-9-6, 51 points) will not know who their first-round playoff opponent will be until tomorrow, when Seattle, San Jose and Colorado are in action. Depending on their results, the Red Bulls can play any one of them.

The Red Bulls will be on the road for the first game of the home-and-home series the last weekend of October and will play the home leg Nov. 4.

“The key was the first six games, we won five out of the six and kept going,” Red Bulls coach Hans Backe said. “It’s phenomenal to get 30 points more than last season. Normally you can’t see any team in the world double their points in one season. It’s impossible to do that. To get 30 points more, 10 more wins, less conceded goals. For the background staff, the players, everyone working with the team, it’s been excellent.”

Richards scored from just inside the box on the right in the 17th minute and the Red Bulls pretty much controlled the game the rest of the way until Joel Lindpere sealed the victory with a goal in second-half stoppage time.

“There was room for improvement. You couldn’t do any worse than last year,” Richards said with a laugh. “We just came in, worked hard, and we did it. It’s not over yet. The playoffs, hopefully we have three games left and can go all the way.

“The team is really confident right now. We just need to go out there and be consistent, defend well, keep a clean sheet if we can and the (scoring) opportunity will come. We just need to put it away.”

Defender Mike Petke, the only player remaining from the 2000 team, the last time the club went from last place to first, believed from the start this could be a special year.

“To maybe come back and make the playoffs is a great story. To come back and win the East and, up until three weeks ago possibly to be in contention to win the Supporters’ Shield (for most team points), it’s unbelievable,” he said. “It’s one of those situations I’m thrilled to be a part of.”